s spirit fought, against both Catholics and Calvinists, are
abandoned by the free investigation of modern times. His intensely
passionate beliefs, gained in the heartrending struggles of a devout
soul, occasionally missed an important truth. Sometimes he was harsh,
unfair, even cruel toward his opponents; but such things should no
longer disturb any German, for all the limitations of his nature and
training are as nothing compared with the fulness of the blessings
which have flowed from his great heart into the life of our nation.

But he should not have seceded after all, some people say; for his
action has divided Germany into two hostile camps, and the ancient
strife, under varying battle-cries, has continued to our day. Those
who think so might assert with equal right that the Christian revolt
from Judaism was not necessary--why did not the apostles reform the
venerable high-priesthood of Zion? They might assert that Hampden
would have done better if he had paid the ship-money and had taught
the Stuarts their lesson peaceably; that William of Orange committed a
crime when he did not put his life and his sword into the hands of
Alva, as Egmont did; that Washington was a traitor because he did not
surrender himself and his army to the English; they might condemn as
evil everything that is new and great in doctrine and in life and that
owes its birth to a struggle against what is old.

To but few mortals has been vouchsafed such a powerful influence as
Luther had upon their contemporaries and upon subsequent ages. But his
life, like that of every great man, leaves the impression of an
affecting tragedy when attention is centred on its pivotal events. It
shows us, like the career of all heroes of history whom Fate permitted
to live out their lives, three stages. First, the personality of the
man develops, powerfully influenced by the restricting environment. It
tries to reconcile incompatibilities, while in the depth of his soul
ideas and convictions are gradually translated into volition. At last
they burst forth in a definite action, and the solitary individual
enters upon the contest with the world. Then follows a period of
greater activity, more rapid growth, and larger victories. The
influence of the one man upon the masses grows ever greater. Mightily
he draws the whole nation to follow in his footsteps, and becomes its
hero, its pattern; the vital force of millions appears summed up in
one man.

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